Handle grip



March 27, 1928. I E. FETTER HANDLE care Filed July 22, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. FETTER HANDLE GRIP Filed July 22. 1925 March 27, 192&

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mlu , E sl Patented Mar. 27, 1928. I

UNITED STATES 1,663,694 PATENT QFFICE.

EDWARD FETTER, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

HANDLE GRIP.

Application filed Iluly 22, 1925. Serial No. 45,159.

and some rubber covers are made in tubularform and stretched over the handle, some such stretched covers being roughened to improve the grip. Such covers have not been found durable or desirable, the nailed covers loosen and the nails injure the player, the tubular covers which are stretched on become loosened so that they slip and interfere with the certainty and accuracy of the stroke, and the other types soon wear loose and are discarded. v

The present invention relates to, an improved handle cover or grip which is formed integral with the stick or handle.

The handle is formed by wrapping the stick or handle with raw rubber, inserting the wrapped portion of the handle in a mold which when closed has a cavity a little smaller than the size of the finished handle and which mold is roughened as to its inner walls so as to produce a roughened or corrugated handle cover, their clamping the mold to pre@ the raw rubber into the crevices of the mold, and heating the mold until vulcanizing materials, is vulcanized or cured, producing an integral grip of roughened or corrugated rubber, which rubber is harder and therefore affords a much better grip than does the tubular handle cover or grip which is made soft and pliable, so that it may be stretched on to the stick or handle proper.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated amold in which the vulcanizing process may be performed together with heating means .by which the mold may be heated to cure or vulcanize the rubber, the mold being of a suitable shape to form a grip or handle and provided with clamping means for the purposes outlined. The mold also has an opening through which the stick or handle protrudes. 1

In the drawing a Figure 1 is an elevation ofa vulcanizing apparatus adapted to vulcanize a grip intogral with the handle of a golf club or other similar implement. i

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2, 2 of Figure 1.

the raw rubber which is mixed with proper Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sect on through the mold cavlty taken on the line 3,3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 IS an elevationof one form of integral grip, a portion of the grip being broken away for convenience in illustration. Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line 5, 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4. showing a slightly different construction.

Figure 7 is a section like Figure 5 showing still another form; and Figure 8 is a section on the line 8, 8 Figure 6. v i Y A Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which-is used to indicate the same or similar parts in the different figures, the

'vulcanizer, Figures 1, 2 and 3, is of the steam heated type having a gas burner 1 with suitable connections b which heat to generate steam is supplie The ap aratus, as shown, comprises a two-part mo 61, split or separated along the plane of the greatest cross-section of the mold cavity. The lower. mold section 2 is mounted on a suitable stand 3 and the burner 1 is beneath the section 2 also supported on the stand. This lowermold section 2f as shown, has'a mold cavity or cavities 4 ormed in an upper inclined. surface 5 beneath which is a steam chamber 6 partly filled with water 7 from which steam is generated to fill the chamber, the water being evaporated by the heat of the burner 1.

The upper mold section 7 is connected to the rear or lower edge of the lower mold section by a suitable hinge 8. -The upper mold section'has a steam chamber .9 and a mold cavity 10 therein, which registers when the mold is closed with the mold cavity 4 in the lower section 2. This steam chamher 9 surrounds the mold cavity 10 and is connected to the steam chamber 6 of the lower mold section by flexible tubing 11 whereby steam is supplied to the steam chamber 9 in the walls of the mold cavity'of the upper section 7, maintaining an e ual temperature of the walls .of. the mo (1 cavity on all sides. The walls ofthe mold cavity are, as shown, grooved at12 in a suitable pattern to form the surface of the. grip. The upper and lower'sections of th' vulcanizer are provided with co-operatingears 13 on each section which are drawn together to close the vulcanizer by means of screws and nuts 19 arranged as illustrated in Figure 1.

In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown a handle having a grip formed of regular tire casing rubber com osition 14 vulcanized to the handle and aving a rou hened or gripping surface 15 convenient or engagement by and with thehands. In this instance the rubber 14 isvulcanized directly to the wood 16. 1

In Figure 7 I have shown a handle havin a ip 17 of vulcanized rubber formed and vu canized on the handle, the handle being first wound with fabric 18, the raw rubber containing the vulcanizing compound being then wrapped around the handle over the fabric, and the entire handle inserted in the vulcanizer, which is clamped to form the rubber grip and force the material into the grooves.

Figures 6 and 8 show'a grip formed of rubber vulcanized on and to the handle, the rubber 20 being covered with fabric 21 on the outside. The handle is roughened by pressing and vulcanizing preferably in a mold having ughened walls as in Figure 2. The pressurecauses the fabric covered sur neeaeea 1. An athletic implement in the nature of a golf stick having a handle with a grip of ru ber formed integrally therewith, having a roughened surface, and a fabric covering vulcanized to the surface and assuming the roughened contour thereof.

2. An athletic implement in the natureof a golf stick having a handlewith a grip of rubber formed. integrally therewith, and a. sheet of fabric covering and vulcanized to the surface. v 3. A handle having a grip of rubber with a roughened surface and a fabric covering vulcanized to the surface and assuming the roughened contour thereof. I I

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this 18th day of July, 1925.

EDWARD FETTER. v 

